Forget the pan pipes and get rid of that wax! (BioSun Hopi Ear Candles)

Member Name: dee778

Product:	BioSun Hopi Ear Candles
Date:	21/08/09 (102 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A safe and gentle way to remove ear wax

Disadvantages: You need to be very careful when using them

The whole concept of ear candles was a new one for me. I used to walk quickly past my local Chinese medicine centre, with its strange photos of people with lighted candles in their ears, thinking that this was the strangest and most unnatural thing I had ever seen!

My 14 year old son complained about constant ringing in his ears at the same time as I read a review of the Hopi ear candle - and I decided to give ear candling a go!

For some reason I was a bit embarrassed when I went into my local Holland and Barrett to ask for the candles - but the reaction of the sales assistant took me by surprise. "Fantastic", she said - "very popular" - "not at all weird". She recommended that I unravel the remnants of the candle once I had used it to look at the wax that had collected inside. Yeuk!

~~the candle~~

I bought a pack of two candles for £8.20 from Holland and Barrett. I also had the option of buying a bumper pack of 6 for £20.99, but thought that I would trial it before doubling my spend. The candle itself is a 21cm long narrow cylinder with a 7cm plastic filter at one end. The filter end is marked by a red ring. Looking down the tube, it is completely hollow apart from the plastic filter. The tube is impregnated with beeswax and honey. Once lit, the burning creates a vacuum effect that draws impurities and wax from the ear in a painless way.

The candles are said to relieve problems with excessive ear wax, ear noise (tinnitus) and ear ache. They can also be useful for people who suffer from headaches, migraines, or sinus problems.

~~my son's experience~~

I'm afraid that we were all a bit sceptical about the spiritual side of ear candling. The instructions told us that negative energy is drawn out through the ears, and that to aid the relaxation and the spriritual side of candling, American Indian music should be played, a warm environment should be provided in the form of a comforting blanket, and the lighting should be low and soothing.

This gave us all a fit of the giggles. We walked around trying to hum pan pipe music - not at all in a spiritual way. My son lay down on his side and I gave the candle to him so that he could insert the candle himself and ensure a tight fit into the ear canal. I then wrapped a towel around his head for protection and lit the candle.

He loved the feeling of the candle crackling in his ear - especially when I let him look in the mirror and he could see what he looked like! I held the candle in place throughout the burn to make sure it did not fall - it took about 10 minutes for the candle to burn down. When the flame reached the red filter ring, I removed the candle and extinguished it in a bowl of water.

My son said that he felt a real vacuum effect - the pressure built up and was then released with a whoosh of cool air. The aroma of the burning candle was very pleasant.

For the second ear, my son felt that he felt most spiritual lying in front of the TV watching The Mentalist - so we abandoned any attempt at pan pipe music or the correct ambience.

After the second ear was treated nothing seemed to have changed - no wax was visible in the ear, and the buzzing was still there. He went up to bed later on, but came down shortly afterwards in a state of huge excitement, showing me a huge lump of wax that had fallen out of his ear. Remembering what the sales assistant had told me, I retrieved the used filters and unwrapped them. It was amazing! One filter contained many, very big, very dark coloured lumps of wax. The other filter contained a huge long string of wax. All of the wax had been drawn out of his ear without him even been aware of it.

The next day, he said that the buzzing had decreased and the feeling of pressure had lessened.

~~controversy~~

Since using the candles, I have done some research into the safety of using them. The procedure is not without controversy.

Critics claim that since earwax is sticky, the amount of force necessary to draw the wax out would have to be so great it would rupture the eardrum. I have had physical proof that earwax is drawn out of the ear, with no pain at all - so I would not agree with this.

The most controversial aspect of candling is the claim that the inner ear, sinuses, and brain can be cleansed via the outer ear. I cannot believe that the brain can be cleansed through the ear! The procedure brought out a bit of wax, and that is all.

There is also a great deal of debate surrounding the spiritual nature of ear candling, and its ability to allow negative energy to escape through the ears, and help align the body's internal energy by purifying the mind. As I have made clear earlier, I do not believe in the spiritual nature of ear candling.

The most worrying aspect of the criticism comes from the medical profession. Ear candling is condemned by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA has not approved the use of ear candles as a medical practice since they have not been formally tested and proven effective. Some websites claim that there have been cases of wax from the candles dripping into the ear canal and causing blockages that must be corrected surgically, even causing ruptured eardrums. When I used the candles there was no wax dripping from them at all. The candle burned off to form a chimney of ash, that fell down already cooled.

I can only find concerns from US websites. The UK does not seem to have such a problem with supposed health risks, and most UK websites are pro ear candling. I wonder if the type of candles used in the US are different from UK candles.

~~my opinion~~

I was very impressed with the results of the ear candling. I cannot find any research that would stop me from using them again, but I am very careful to ensure that the procedure is carried out safely.

My son feels that his ears are clearer and that his problems have started to clear up.

Ear candling is an ancient practice that dates back to the time of the Egyptians in 2500 BC, and is used by practitioners of Chinese medicine as well as being sold in reputable high street health stores. I feel that if it were a dangerous practice the candles would not be sold by high street shops, and there would be more warnings on the packets and on the internet.

I would recommend anybody with ear problems to give these candles a try.

Summary: Keep an open mind and give them a try